Recently, there has been a great emphasis placed on the need for exercise to improve one's health, both from the standpoint of weight reducing as well as from the standpoint of improving heart and lung efficiency. It is generally acknowledged and understood that in order to accomplish these goals, one must engage in a stressful type of exercise, such as for example, tennis, skiing, jogging, bicycling, squash, handball, etc. One leading form of stress-type exercise, but one which has not received much attention, is jumping rope. In fact, jumping rope can be from two to seven times more effective in producing physical fitness than most other forms of exercise, and can be accomplished in less time. For instance, by jumping rope one can expend calories at approximately twice the rate as playing racketball for the same period of time.
Despite the fact that jumping rope is a leading form of stress-type exercise, very few people have engaged in such exercise as part of a physical training or exercise program, probably for a number of reasons. One significant reason probably is the fact that most people do not know how to jump rope or know what is needed in order to accomplish the desired beneficial results. For example, in order to achieve the maximum benefit, and in particular to achieve physical fitness, it is necessary that one jump rope at least five hundred times per day without stopping. However, jumping rope at this rate on a hard surface, such as a hard floor or pavement, can often lead to injury, especially to the feet, ankles and knees. On the other hand, if one jumps rope on a soft cushioning surface (such as a carpet indoors or the lawn outdoors), in order to save wear on one's feet, ankles and knees, the person is likely to experience a "sinking" feeling. This destroys one's balance and rhythm, and affects coordination and endurance, thus preventing achievement of the beneficial effects of jumping rope.
While a number of athletic or gymnastic mats are known in the art, the purpose behind such mats is mainly to provide a spring and cushion during the finale of the action--i.e., the landing. That is, a tumbler, highjumper, broadjumper or a gymnast or pole vaulter takes off from a firm footing, never one which provides any springing or cushioning, and only lands on the mat during the landing. Such surfaces thus are not particularly well-suited for continuous jumping since they are designed to only take up or absorb the shock of one fall or jump at a time and consequently, are often very springy or resilient. Furthermore, as is well known with such mats, the cushioning or resiliency effect is designed mainly to be within the center of the mat, and not at the edges. In fact, at the edge portions of such mats, there is usually a sharp transition between the hard or firm surface on which the mat is placed and the mat itself, both in terms of the cushioning effect as well as the physical characteristics. If one were to jump rope on such mats having such definite transition, the rope would most likely snag or catch on the edge if one were jumping at the edge of the mat, thus destroying the rhythm and balance of the person jumping. Still further, with very thick mats, there is a possibility of injury should one happen to step off the mat during the jumping exercise.
Accordingly, a need exists for a surface which is particularly well-suited for jumping rope, both in terms of providing cushioning or shock absorbing benefits during the rope jumping exercise so as to minimize the chances of injury or damage to one's feet, ankles, knees, as well as one which is firm so as not to destroy or adversely affect the rhythm, coordination and balance of the person.